Xavier Hopkins To Play In Blue-Grey All-American Bowl
HARVEST- The recent 2018 high school football season for Sparkman High senior Xavier Hopkins actually began on Jan. 26. It was on that date Hopkins’ best friend, Shamar Walker, a 2017 graduate of Sparkman, was hit and killed by bullets fired into a crowd that gathered in a parking lot at Rime Village Apartments located behind the Westside Centre just off University Drive in west Huntsville.
The 19-year old Walker’s death inspired the motivation Hopkins used to excel in his academics and his athletic endeavors as inside linebacker for the Senators as his noted talents enabled him to be chosen to play in the 2019 Blue-Grey All-American Bowl on Jan. 14 in Houston, Tex. The game will be played at the NFL’s Texans’ NRG Stadium and will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m.
“When I received my official invite in the mail I quickly opened it and I was so excited I immediately called my coach, my parents, girlfriend and members of my ACT Group,” said Hopkins. “I was waiting for this invite. It’s a big opportunity for me.”
The 2018 season for the Class 7A Senators didn’t go as planned as they won four of their first five games, but then lost their last five outings on their schedule to finish 4-6. Hopkins somehow had a stellar season on the field as the 5-foot-11, 226-pound athlete endured the fall from grace as a team and posted 93 tackles.
Hopkins also raised his grade point average to 2.98 and scored a 21 on his ACT. He is undecided on his choice of college as he wants to study sports medicine and play football. If he doesn’t receive any offer from schools, he will try and be a walk-on for some college program.
In the warm and muggy portion of May, Hopkins made a trek to Nashville for a combine held exclusively for the player committee of the Blue-Grey Bowl. As many as 300 players from across the Southeast made their way to the Music City to show off their talents. Hopkins said he did well in his tryout, which included a 40-yard dash, speed drills, shuttle drill, and bench press, one-on-one and seven-on-seven play. His invitation couldn’t have had a better timing for the son of Nicole Lee Massey and James Massey, both retired military.
“I’m training my buff off as I want to show people my community and my school is really happening,” said Hopkins, 18. “I’m looking forward to the game as we’ll have NFL experienced coaches within three days of practice prior to the game.”
Hopkins will make the drive to Texas with his family. He’s hoping some of his fellow school mates will be able to make the jaunt to the game. He also has some family members in Louisiana who make the trip to see him in action.
Hopkins is one of 66 players chosen to participate in the annual high school bonanza game where he’ll play for Team 49. The game will top off what he called, “a tough season on all of us.”
For Hopkins, who began playing for the local youth Sparkman Cougars at age five and worked his way through Sparkman Middle School and four years with the Senators, he plans on carrying the spirt of his best friend with him just as he did in every game during the just completed season by writing Walker’s name on his wrist tape.
“I dedicated this season and the rest of my life to him,” added Hopkins. “I want to play at the next level and maybe play in the NFL. In January, it’s like the start of my dream. I feel blessed to have overcome the loss of Shamar and have raised my ‘game’ in the classroom and in life.”
